The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for providing access to a buried pipeline.
Conventional sewer lines include a main pipeline which extends along the street in a direction parallel to the street. Each home has a lateral pipeline that extends from the home and connects to the main pipeline.
It is often desirable to provide a clean out to the lateral pipeline adjacent the main sewer line. Many lateral pipelines have been buried without such a clean out. In order to provide such a clean out it is necessary to make a wide and extensive excavation so that persons can enter the excavation and attach the clean out pipe to the lateral pipe. This results in considerable disruption of the soil and the yard around the home.
Therefore a primary object of the present invention is the provision of an improved apparatus and method for providing access to buried pipeline.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an apparatus and method for providing access to buried pipelines which creates a minimum of disruption of the soil.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an apparatus and method for providing access to buries pipeline which does not require a person to enter the excavation to place the access pipe or clean out pipe to the buried pipeline.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a device which is efficient in operation, economical in cost, and simple in construction.
The foregoing objects may be achieved by a combination including a main sewer pipe located below the surface of the ground and a lateral sewer pipe below the surface of the ground and connected to the main sewer pipe. The lateral pipe includes an interior bore, a surrounding pipe wall, and an outer peripheral surface to the surrounding pipe wall. An access hole is in the surrounding pipe wall of the lateral sewer pipe and provides communication from outside the lateral sewer pipe into the interior bore of the lateral sewer pipe. An access assembly includes a saddle surrounding a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the lateral pipe and an access pipe extending upwardly therefrom. The access pipe includes a lower end extending through the saddle and having an upper end adjacent the surface of the ground. The access pipe also has an internal bore providing communication from the upper end thereof to the lower end thereof to the access hole in the lateral sewer pipe. This results in the internal bore of the access pipe providing access from the upper end thereof to the interior bore of the lateral sewer pipe.
This access can be used for clean out purposes, but it can also be used for making internal repairs to the lateral sewer pipe. It is possible to invert liner tubes into the lateral sewer pipe through the access pipe in a manner that is commonly used for repairing sewer pipe.
The saddle of the access assembly comprises a curved plate conforming to the outer peripheral surface of the lateral sewer pipe. The outer peripheral surface of the lateral pipe extends in a circle 360xc2x0, and the curved plate surrounds more than 180xc2x0 of the outer peripheral surface of the lateral sewer pipe.
The curved plate comprises a flexible material that permits the curved plate to flex in an outward radial direction and then snap back to its original curved configuration during the connection of the curved plate to the outer peripheral surface of the lateral sewer pipe.
According to another feature of the invention the curved plate includes a concave surface that is substantially concentric to the outer peripheral surface of the lateral sewer pipe. A sealing material provides a fluid tight seal between the concave surface of the curved plate and the outer peripheral surface of the lateral sewer pipe. The sealing material may be a cured resin material. It may be a material that is hydrophilic, hydrophobic, or catalyst activated. It may also be an adhesive, a form of epoxy, or a two-sided tape. It could also be a gasket or a mastic material or any other material that provides a satisfactory seal.
The method for providing access to the interior bore of the sewer pipe buried beneath the surface of the ground is as follows; the ground is first excavated to expose a portion of the lateral sewer pipe. This excavation can be minimal because all that is necessary is to provide a one to two foot diameter access hole in the ground rather than an excavation that is sufficiently large to permit a person to enter the access hole. Next the installer takes an access assembly having a curved plate forming a concave surface and an access pipe having a lower end connected to the curved plate and providing fluid communication through the curved plate. The concave surface of the curved plate is then attached in facing relation over the outer curved surface of the exposed portion of the buried pipe. The concave surface of the curved plate is sealed to the outer curved surface of the exposed portion of the buried pipe. This sealing may be accomplished in a variety of different ways described above, including the use of an uncured sealing material that cures and hardens to form the seal. Other devices such as two sided tape or gaskets could be used to provide the seal. The final step is the cutting of an access hole in the buried pipe wall of the buried pipe, the access hole providing communication between the lower end of the access pipe and the interior bore of the buried pipe so as to provide access to the interior bore of the buried pipe from the upper end of the access pipe through the lower end of the access pipe and the access hole in the buried pipe wall.
According to one feature of the invention the method of attachment comprises using a curved plate that extends slightly greater than 180xc2x0 of a circle. The curved plate is formed from a resilient material. The attaching step includes forcing the concave surface of the curved plate into contact with the outer curved surface of the buried pipe whereby the concave surface will first flex in an outward radial direction and then will flex in an inward radial direction to retentively embrace the outer curved surface of the buried pipe. This step may be done remotely by the installer from above ground merely by pressing down on the upstanding access pipe to snap the curved plate in retentive engagement over the buried pipe. While this snapping attachment is preferred, a curved plate having less than 180xc2x0 may also be used.